Flash light



I L. FERRIS. FLASH L1 GHT.

FILED SEPT. E4. 1921 :4, A TTORNEYS.

Tatenteol Dec. l 1922.

rarest raters.

. ISAAC L. FERRIS,OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRIDGEPORT METAL GOODS MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A

CORPORATIGN 0F CQNINEGTICUT.

'- 'rLAsn Lren'r.

Application filed September 14, 1921. serial No. 500,541.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, IsAAo L. Farms, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Flash Lights, of which the following is a specification;

This invention relates to flashlights and has for an objectto provide an improved means for mounting the lamp-bulb whereby it may be adjusted relatively to the reflector to focus the same.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved mounting for the lamp including a yielding means between the central lamp contact and the battery to prevent a fracture of the lamp by too heavy a pressure of the battery when placed in the casing, or should the light be dropped.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a more detailed description thereof.

In carrying out my invention I provide acasing having a reflector at one end provided with an opening through which the lamp extends, the casing being provided with one or more inclined slots having a plurality of notches on one side thereof. The lampsupportcomprises a shell having lamp retaining means at one end thereof and yielding insulating means at the other end carrying a central contact element. A ylelding conducting means extends between the contact element and the central lamp contact. One or more operating means are secured to the side of the shell and extend through the slots in the casing, and a spring mounted at one end of the battery presses the central pole thereof against the contact element and tends 'to press the operating means in the notches in'the inclined slots to retain the lamp-supportin adjusted position.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section through a flashlight showing my invention applied thereto, the battery being shown in elevation.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the lamp-end of the flashlight embodying my invention, and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lamp-support.

The casing preferably comprises two sections 10 and 11 detachably connected to-. getherby any suitable means, preferably screw threads 12. At oneend is a reflector 13 mounted in a supportingcasing 14 detachably secured to theend of the casing by any suitable means such as screw threads I 15. The reflector is provided with a central opening 16 through which the incandescent light bulb or lamp 17 extends.

The lamp-support comprises a shell 18 having mounted in one end 19 thereof lampretainin means 20 preferably a sleeve, as

shown, aving internal threads adapted to receive the threads of the lamp, and having a reduced inner end extending through an opening in the end of the shell and spun over at 21 to retainit in position. The other end of the shell, which, when the shell is made is open, is closed by an insulating disc 22 made of any suitable material, such as fibre, and is retained in the open end of the shell at one side by a stop shoulder 23 formed by rolling an annular groove in the side of 7 5 the shell, and is retained against said shoulder by bending in the free edge 24 of the side of the shell. The insulating mem-- ber 22 is provided with a central contact element 25 extending 'therethrough upon which is mounted a substantially tJ-shaped contact spring and conducting member 26, the free end of this member'being adapted to contact with the central lamp contact when thevlamp is secured in the .support.

The casing is provided with one or more inclined slots 27' provided on one side thereof with a plurality of notches 28, and operating elements 29 are secured to the sides of the shell by any suitable means and pass to the exterior of the casing through the said slots, and preferably are provided with suitable operating knobs 30.

Y A standard dry battery 31 is inserted in the casing with 1ts central pole 32' pressing as against the contact element 25, the battery being encased in the usual insulating cover. Pressing a ainst the opposite end of the battery, an forming electrical contact with the negative pole thereof, is a spring 33 mounted on an insulating member 34 and electrically connected with a conductor 35 insulated from the casing by a strip of insulating material 36. Mounted upon the casing is a suitable switch mechanism, that shownbeing a contact member 37, secured to one end of a flat spring 38 secured to'and" grounded upon the casing at '39, a finger 22; Leas es piece 40 being provided for operating the same. The switch may be held in closed position by a sliding retaining means 41, if desired.

In operation, the two sections of the easing are separated and the battery inserted therein with its central pole 32' in contact with the contactelement 25, and when the sections of the casing are again connected together the spring 33 will press against the opposite end of the battery and hold the central pole 32 firmly against the contact element 25.. It will at the same time tend to press the operating elements 29 into a notch 28. When it is desired to adjust the lamp with respect to the reflector to focus the same, the operating elements 29 are pressed outwardly from the notches 28 against the action of the sprin 33 and are then turned sidewise in the slb desired position. and the spring 33 presses them into the adjacent notch 28, eflectively retaining the lamp and its support in the adjusted position. V

As the insulating disc 22 is yielding and also more or less resilient and as the contact spring and conducting element 26 is also yieldable, thepressure of the battery is not transmitted directly to the central contact of the lamp, so that, no matter how tightly the battery presses against the contact ele ment 25 it will not rupture the lamp even should the flashlight be dropped and strike on the lamp-end.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A flashlight comprising a casing, a reflector provided with an opening, a lamp in said opening, a support for said lamp within the casing, said casing being provided with an inclined slot, and operating means mounted on the lamp-support extending through said slot and adapted to be grasped by the operator for adjusting said lamp relative to the reflector.

2. A flashlight comprising a casing, a reflector provided with an opening, a lamp in said opening, a support for said lamp, with in the casing, said casin being provided with an inclined slot having a plurality of notches in one side thereof, operating means mounted on the lamp support extendin through said slot and adapted to be grasp by the operator for adj ustin said lamp relative to the reflector, and yielding means tending to press said operating means into said notches to retain it in adjusted position.

3. A flashlight comprising a casing, a reflector, a lamp forwardly of the reflector, a support for said lamp within the casing, and means tor adjusting the lamp relative to the reflector comprising an inclined slot in said casing, and operating means mounted on the lamp-support extending through said slot ts until the lamp is brought to the They are then released "and adapted to be grasped; by the operator.

4. A flashlight comprising a casing, a reflector, a lamp forwardly of the reflector, a support for said lamp within the casing, and means for adjusting the lamp relative to the reflector comprising an inclined slot in said casing provided with a plurality of notches in one side thereof, operating means mounted on the lamp-support extending through said slot and adapted to be grasped by the operator, and yielding means tending to seat said operating means in said notches to retain the lamp in adjusted position.

5. A flashlight comprising a casing, a reflector, a lamp adjacent said reflector, a sup ort for said lamp comprising a. s ell having 1 retaining means for the lamp at one end and the opposite end of the shell comprising a flexible member, a contact mounted in said flexible member, a spring cont-act element between said contact and one of the lamp contacts, a battery having a pole in contact'with said first contact, and means independent of the reflector for connecting the shell with the casmg.

6. A flashlight comprising a casing, a reflector, a lamp, a support for the lamp, means independent of the reflector for adustably' securin the support to the casing, a contac't, a resilient mounting for the contact carried by the support, a battery having a pole in engagement with said contact,

and a yieldingconducting means between said contact and a lamp contact.

' 7. A flashlight comprising a casing, a reflector having an opening therein, a lamp in said opening, a support for the lam comprising a shell independent of the reflector provided with lamp retaining means at one end and a spaced resilient insulating member at the other end, a contact element carried by said insulator, yielding conducting means between said contact element and a lamp contact, a battery having a pole restmg against said contact element, and means for connecting the shell with the casing.

8. A flashlight comprising a casing provided with an inclined slot, a reflector proyided with an opening, a lamp in said openmg, a lamp-support comprising a shell provided w th a lamp retaining means at one end, an lnsulator at the opposite end of the shell, a contact element carried by said insulator, yielding conducting means between the contact element and a lamp contact, operating means secured to the side of the shell and extending through said slot, and a battery having a pole pressing against said contact element. i

9. A flashlight comprising a casing provided with an inclined slot having a plurality of notches in one side thereof, a reflector provided with an opening, a lamp in said opening, a lamp-support comprising a shell provided with lamp retaining means at one end, an insulator at the opposite end of the shell, a contact element carried by said insulator, yielding conducting means between the contact element and a lamp contact, operating means secured to a side of the shell and extending through said slot, yielding means tending to press the operating means into one of said notches to retain the lamp-support in adjusted position, and a battery having a pole connected with the contact element.

10. A flashlight comprising a casing, a re flector, a lamp adjacent said reflector, a support for the lamp within the casing having a lamp retaining means at one end and a resilient member at the opposite end, a contact carried by the resilient member adapted to engage a pole of a battery, a yielding connection from said contact to the central lamp contact, and means for adjusting said support in the casing to position the lamp relative to the reflector. I

In testimony whereof I a-fiix my signature.

ISAAC L. FERRIS. 

